Sleep tips on how to power nap like a pro
Don’t tell us you haven’t been trying to get some shut-eye since working from home
Text: Jo Upcraft
If there’s one thing that working from home has taught me, it’s that I’m always just a few steps away from my bed and a sneaky slumber. Not that I’ve indulged of course. I’ve tried, but no matter what, I cannot power nap.
As alluring as it sounds, succumbing to a speedy snooze does not come easy to me. What makes it worse is that I know how good a power nap is for your health and wellness. A wide body of research reveals how a quick nap can tangibly improve alertness, mood, focus, and cognitive performance, in the short term as well as throughout the day.
What is a power nap?
But what constitutes as a power nap? According to Shubhra Venneti Shastry, a sleep expert and consultant Singapore’s S Family Wellness, “A power nap provides recovery benefits without leaving the person feeling sleepy afterwards; 10-20 minutes is considered the ideal length and it should not go past the 25-minute mark. This is important because anytime we fall asleep, we begin to move through a series of sleep cycles. At around 25 minutes, your body leaves cycle-one and cycle-two which boost memory retention and focus, sharpen the brain and digest information. After that your body enters a deep sleep when the body relaxes even further.”
While cycle-three is critical, waking up from it can leave you feeling groggy for up to an hour afterwards — a period of drowsiness and disorientation known as sleep inertia. (And no-one wants to feel that on a Zoom call about spreadsheets with their boss).
The best time to shut down
While the perks of a power nap are undeniable, when to have it wholly depends on how much deep sleep you get at night. Slumber at the wrong time during the day and you won’t reap any benefits at all. “The problem is that everybody is different, and in our modern day society it’s hard to have a circadian rhythm (aka a sleep schedule) that suits your chronotype (your body’s natural biological clock),” says Shubhra. How to know what sleep schedule works for you? “You wake in the morning feeling fully charged, a bit like a superhero, ready to take on the world.” (Um, anyone ever feel like this?!).
Once you’ve determined your nightly schedule, it becomes easier to govern when you should be getting your daily power nap. “Ideally, you shouldn’t be snoozing past 2pm because this is approaching wind-down time, especially for those who are early risers,” says Shubhra. “If this is you, aim to sleep at 12pm midday. If you’re not a ‘morning person’, opt for 1pm and no later to prevent you from sleeping badly later that night.”
The only people who won’t benefit from a regular power nap are in fact the terribly sleep deprived. Warns Shubhra, “Chances are they’ll automatically fall into a deep slumber, pushing their circadian rhythm back and jeopardising their sleep come bedtime.”
Enjoy a Nap-a-Latte
If just 20 minutes sounds like too much snooze to squeeze into your day, start small: researchers have found that five-minute naps are too short, but a study published in Sleep discovered just 10-minutes a day can improve alertness and cognitive performance. However you approach your nap, it’s advisable to lay down or sit in a reclined position away from sunlight. Even putting your head on your desk or retreating somewhere quiet with your headphones can be advantageous. “If you find it difficult to drop off, listen to a Yoga Nidra meditation. Marisa Peer’s online meditations are also fantastic for those who feel a lot of guilt and find it hard to stop working and take time out to rest.”
Even if you lay awake, Shubhra says that taking time to rest your eyes and quieten your mind is restorative enough to leave you feeling reinvigorated. “The more you shut down your senses, the more you will dull your mind and give it a break.”
There’s always going to be the worry that you’ll wake two hours later, confused and dribbling. Of course, this is what alarms are for, but there’s a more scientific approach to napping that the coffee-lovers among us can adopt. Clinical psychologist and sleep specialist Dr Michael Breus came up with the idea of the ‘Nap-a-Latte’. "What you do is make a 6- to 8-ounce cup of hot coffee, then cool it down with ice-cubes so it’s still hot but doesn’t burn your tongue. Drink it quickly just before you take your nap. The caffeine hits your system after approximately 20-25 minutes, providing you with enough stage-one and stage-two sleep, but waking you up before it’s too late,” says Shubhra, who recommends this technique to busy mums.
Create a routine
A recent report in The Straits Times stated that nine in 10 employees in Singapore would like to continue working from home in some capacity due to the pandemic, meaning that getting some extra shut-eye a day may become easier. Try to remain committed though: the body likes routine so when it becomes programmed to nap, it will become a regular habit.
“Right now, the power nap is more important to our wellbeing than ever before,” says Shubhra. “Working from home we’re all at our desks for longer, working extended hours, and finding it increasingly difficult to unwind.” Learn to tune into your body to understand what it needs, whether that be food, caffeine, a rest, or all of them. “Sleep will always be the most salutary option,” says Shubhra, “but then, I would say that!”
Learn more about on Shubhra’s newly launched podcast, Shift with Shubhra on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
